Wipocalypse May

 WIPocalypse check in was supposed to be the 24th May, but it's too soon, I think I'd rather have the check ins at the end of the month, so I'm moving it!

First up, a recap of what I achieved January - April:

1. The Mackintoshesque window
2. giant granny square blanket
10. Small vintage embroidery
11. Necklace kit from Spellbound
12. Necklace kit mum bought me
13. Tea wallets
15. Bathroom curtain
16. Picnic napkins
17. Wiggly bags 
24. punch needle
26. mosaic house number kit 
33. Silhouttes cross stitch
34. Scraperboard rabbit
37. Clay + Pebeo paint

42. Extruding clay

46. Friendly plastic

48. Lavender sachets from hankies
49. Lunch bag
53. Red scarf with beaded fringe
57. Mega chunky cowl
59. Decopatch
61. Crochet hat for me in Hug
62. UTEE
63. Hat for Samantha

So what have I finished this month?

My Wips
3. Cotton granny squares - originally intended to be a blanket, now a footstool cover

4. crochet rug

crafts I have kits for

erm... nope!

crafts /projects I have supplies for

erm... nope!

So that's a measly, pathetic 2 WIPs from a total of 44 (projects left) done -  5%. And 25 out of the total of 67 is 3%.  Overall I've done 25 from a total of 67 - 37%.   I have done really, really badly this month, but to be honest, it's only to be expected as I've had such a shitty month.

So which projects have I made progress on but not finished?

14. Alphabet chart

19. Sewing machine mat with thread catcher - not blogged yet

32. Lynette Anderson needle case

And don't forget, I did do some of the items from my extra list...

a6 - Hardanger SAL

a9 - Weekender bag

That still leaves me with rather a long list though:
My WIPs
5. crochet Yoda
6. crewel Jacobean pattern
7. Crewel fire guard
8. Beaded embroidery dress
9. Dancers cross stitch
18. Chair covers
20. Ungar #2
21. Fleece baby hat
22. Applique tea cups

crafts I have kits for
23. Enamelling
25. Lace making
27. Mosaic tray kit
28. Beaded santa ornament
29. Silk painting
30. Origami
31. Hessian reindeer
35. Latch hook kit
36. Beaded lillies

crafts /projectsI have supplies for
38. Cathedral Windows
39. Tatting Course
40. Beaded Boxes
41. Sharp crochet hook
43. Hammering wire
44. Bead loom
45. Lino cutting
47. French knitting
50. Mum's chair covers

51. Jacob's quilt

52. Beaded bird panel
54. Crochet cardi
55. Crochet bag
56. Wedding memories box
58. Crochet fat friends (the other 7)
60. Lucet
64. Embroidered tablecloth
65. Kitchen curtains
66. Bunny jewellery - charm and ceramic beads
67. Paper beads


29th December 2012 = 67 projects.
26th January 2013 = 6 completed. 6 projects total. 61 to go
26th February 2013 = 5 completed, 11 completed total, 56 to go
27th March 2013 = 5 completed, 16 completed total, 51 to go
25th April 2013 = 7 completed, 23 completed total, 44 to go
31st May 2013 = 2 completed, 25 completed total, 42 to go

And the projects added since Christmas?

a1 - Skill Builder sampler BOM
a2 - And Sew On... BOM
a3 - Daisy crewel alphabet sampler
a4 - Kumihimo braiding
a5 - Soft book animals
a6 - Hardanger SAL
a7 - CK Button kit (Christmas present from Mr CA)
a8 - fabric medium
a9 - Weekender bag

Next check in, end of June

Previous Wipocalypse posts:

April
March
February
January

chain maille

Another masterpiece of a title there.  I don't know if you remember I went to a class to learn to do chain maille recently?  We learnt the Byzantine weave and I made a silver bracelet.  I bought some more 1mm wire after the Josephine Knot class the other week and got to work.

I bought some copper wire and used my gizmo to make the coils before snipping them apart to make the jump rings.  SO much quicker than the jump ring maker we used in class.  I'd also bought some brass wire and started making jump rings with that first, but I didn't check I was using the right mandrel and they turned out too big.  I didn't have enough brass wire to start again, so I need to find a weave with 5.5mm ID jump rings!

I've been wearing the copper and silver bracelets together and I love them.  I'd have loved a brass one too!  I've ordered some wire from ebay, and I also bought a new book - Classic Chain Mail Jewelry.  Now I can't wait for my wire to turn up so I can tryout some new weaves!  

saggy and baggy and badly-lit

I'm not sure if the title of the post refers to me, or to today's offering.  A little of both perhaps...

Remember I showed you some granny squares last week? They were #3 on El Listo Gigantico, cotton granny squares, originally meant to be a blanket, then a footstool, but ended up a cushion.  A saggy and baggy cushion.

The original blankets was going to be made of these 3 colour grannies with all the outer rounds in black or white.  I didn't have enough black or white, so the 5 black ones I'd made were joined by lilac-outered squares (I'm doing well with made up words today)... 

(See, still baggy and saggy when propped against my sewing machine) 

And the white ones were joined by aubergine-coloured-outered squares.  I didn't make the word "aubergine" up, it's British English for "eggplant".  Wonder what it's called in Oz?

I stuffed one of my existing cushions in there, one with a blue cover that matches the curtains, and crocheted the gap up.  I added an outer granny border, held it up, discovered it was baggy, chucked it on the sofa and sat on it.  That'll teach you cushion, I'm going to sit on you.

Not tonight Josephine...

Not last weekend, but the weekend before, I went to a jewellery class.  I bet you can't guess where?  Yep, that's right the Bead Shop Nottingham.  Their classes are fab though, so you can't blame me.

It was another macrame class, this time learning the Josephine knot, which has several other names that I've forgotten! 

We used a lovely silky cord for this one.  I spent ages getting all my knots nice and straight and butting up together nicely.  Then I put it on and it stretched slightly and suddenly there were gaps between the knots!! 

I think if you want the knots to all butt up nicely, you have to do the knots really, really tightly to begin with.  Or glue them.

I really do like it though, even with the gaps.

Ripping and sticking... again

I picked up a plain mache desk tidy from Hobbycraft for £3 during one of their recent sales.  

I snapped it up as I keep my pens, scissors etc on my cutting table in glass jars. They often fall over.

Add a bit of decopatch paper, not right down to the bottom on the big ones, my hand wouldn't fit.

You can't tell from the side though, so it doesn't matter.

You definitely can't tell when they're all full up. I'm rethinking the rotary cutter though - I can see me cutting my own hand off...  I'm so happy I have somewhere to put my seam ripper, with my house being decidedly wonky, it always rolls on the floor.  No more!

more fab mail and a bad case of stitch ripping...

I have a stalker.  I've had her for a while and I'm alright with it.  I don't think she's dangerous, though I might be wrong.  Her name is Samantha.  Not only does she stalk me, she sends me parcels.  Unfortunately, my local post office sees fit to hold these parcels to ransom, and then to open them for me!

Yep, thanks postie.  So, Samantha, memory game time... what, if anything, is missing:

And yes, I did notice the Kit Kat Chunky's were open - he definitely stole one of those... *

I started a new project last week - remember I showed you the tape measure ribbon that wasn't quite long enough for the project and you all thought I was complaining that my tape measure wasn't long enough??  Same project, different issue.

Damn you stupid puckers.  And damn you stupid backing that doesn't attach itself properly.

I had a proper hissy fit and threw it across the room... it might stay on the floor in the corner.

*disclaimer.  It might have been me that "stole" the Kit Kat Chunky.

Fab mail

I've been getting some fab mail recently.  First of all I got this:

It came from the lovely Shell, Harrington and Hannah.  I didn't win a giveaway, Shell is just a wonderfully kind lady and sent it to me out of generosity.  Thank you Shell, you really perked me up whilst I'm going through hell*.  See the pen?  It has Shell's blog logo on it.

Then May's Crafty Creative Kit popped through the door.   OK so that's not strictly true, it was delivered to Mr CA's work, the postman handed it to him and he brought it home.  Not quite so succinct though...

This month's theme is Glamour and this was the kit, it's to make a beaded hair slide.  I may have to make a brooch instead as I don't wear things in my hair.  I'd love to but I tend to look like a pillock when I try on slides or headbands.

Also in the box was some photo glue, an ink pad and stamp, some beads, pink crystals, a rose cabochon, some funky red trim, an FQ of black velvet that has already died some of my white linen after just a few minute's contact and some e-word hooks.  Blurgh.  Wish they'd warned me about them, or even better, left them out of my kit!

You are not wrong in thinking I've yet to do anything with April's box, but the blue paint is out on the coffee table waiting for me to begin a project with it!  The way I'm feeling, it may be there some time.

* I may be making light of the whole "house falling down" situation but in reality I'm at the bottom of a pit of despair.  I find it hard to think about or talk about.  Add to that the fact my depression seems to have come back with a vengeance and basically, life is shit right now.

Don't you just...

Hate it when this happens?

Damn you tape measure ribbon for not being long enough...

A "thing"

When I made my fused glass monster aliens for my brother, I was told off for not showing a before shot!  I forget sometimes that this might be interesting for other people, I kind of assume you all know how to fuse glass, but whilst some of you do, this is a brand new process for others.  So, the Wednesday before last I took some photos of the piece I made before it went in the kiln.

There are two types of glass we use in our classes.  Fusible glass can be put into a kiln and will melt and fuse to itself, creating lovely rounded edges.  Non-fusible glass is used for leading work or copper foiling.  I wanted to use up some of the fusible glass I have so I chose a large piece and cut a square, then just began layering other colours and transparent glass on top.

So above is how it looked before it went in the kiln and below is after the kiln.

This photo is taken on a white piece of paper and makes the colours look quite thick and very blue.  It's so hard to photograph things like this, especially when, like me, you're rubbish at taking photos.

I held it up to the light.  This shows it off a bit better, but it's still not a great representation.

I'm sure you're all now wondering "what is it?".  It's a .... thing.  Yes, one of those ... things.

not-so-cool grandmothers

Morning ladies.  I don't have much to show you this week I'm afraid.  I was busy turning up trousers and mending clothes.  I got some free time and didn't know what to do with myself!  After I'd finished the embroidery on the needle case, it was time to tackle another project from the WIP list.  I have to admit I'm not doing well with the list this month.  There's something about your house falling down that takes the motivation out of you...

So what did I choose?
3. Cotton granny squares - originally intended to be a blanket, now a footstool cover.  And now it's morphed again!  I got out the squares that I'd already crocheted.

I made these a couple of years ago when I first learnt to crochet, using some lovely Rowan Hand Knit cotton. I intended to make a blanket with alternating black- and white- bordered squares.  I made 10.  I got it out again last week and planned to make the top and 2 sides of the footstool in black-bordered squares and the other two sides in white.  I have no black yarn left and only a little white.  New plan!

I decided a cushion cover was in order, because obviously I vitally need another cushion on the sofa... we hate sitting on them and throw them on the chairs where there is a big pile!  I plan to just slot this on over an existing plain blue cover.  I started crocheting.  But which hook?  As you can see, I made squares of many sizes.  The 4mm hook produced squares that were too big, and the 3.5mm hook...

Too small!  It was clearly a question of tension so I went back to the 4mm hook and tried to crochet a bit more tightly.

Two more squares to go and I can finish joining them and sewing up the sides...

Needle case. Again. Bored of it yet?

I've finally finished the embroidery on this project.  I don't think I've mentioned before, but each panel is 3.5" x 4.5".

This panel is the inner back cover.  I did the border in chain stitch and the rest is all back stitch.

I'm not going to follow the making up instructions - except for the scissor pocket.  This is partly because they are incomprehensible, but also because I want to have plenty of pages for different kinds of needles.  I used the lovely needlecase Katherine made me for my sharps, but I need somewhere to store my other kinds of needles.  A piece of ribbon, some fabric ink and alphabet stamps and I had all my page labels done... now to  assemble it.

giveaway win

Yep, I won another giveaway!  This one was over at Ange's blog, one of the few blogger-friends I've met in real life.  Ange does a monthly Craft Book Challenge, so hop over and check it out.

This is what I won!

Pretty suitable for me as I love to make bags and I adore Lisa Lam's first book - The Bag Making Bible.

That's all for today.

alphabet chart

#14 Alphabet chart on the WIP list is an oldie.  I started it ages ago.  If you look at the related posts at the bottom, you'll see that the second post is also the post where I got my first ever sewing machine!  Probably time to get cracking on this one.

It was originally intended as a 2nd birthday present for my goddaughter.  She'll be 5 in September.  5th birthday present then!

P is for pig.  I used a satiny kind of fabric, added a button for a nose and chain stitched around. These are all hand-applique by the way.  As I started this before I got a sewing machine, I was doing it by hand... how much quicker it would be by machine!

I love this little bunny!  I added a pompom for his tail.  It's probably good she didn't get this for her 2nd birthday as all the little buttons and pompoms and stuff would be choking hazards, now I can feel free to add whatever I like.

I found an offcut of a felt-type fabric.  I say felt-type as it's felt-like on the front, but not on the back.  No idea what it is or where it came from, but it works well for a little sheep.  He doesn't have a face.

U is for Umbrella.  Yes, I do know my alphabet, but I'm not necessarily doing them in order!  I'm not too keen on this one.  I was going to add beads for raindrops but I'm not sold on it...


Related posts

A, B, C, D, E, F and G
H and I
K, L and M
J

I'm not a spy

You are going to get SO bored of this needle case.  I seem to be working on it very slowly.  I know I said I'm not sure I like the design, but I do enjoy embroidery so I'm not abandoning it - Sandra!

I finished the inside cover...

I added my name and the year, but I've put a little spool on my surname as I don't know that I want it made public.  You're probably thinking "but I know your name, you've emailed me, it's your email address".  It's not!  That's not actually my name as those of you who've sent me parcels know...

Hee hee, that makes me sound like a spy!  I'm not a spy (was that an obvious statement?).  Wish I was, I think it'd be exciting... wonder if spies get time to sew on their missions...

Related posts:

front cover

Treating myself

Last week I was browsing through some blogs and I followed a link which took me to a Flickr stream of a polymer clay artist.  Her work was stunning so I followed the link to her shop.  I fell in love with a brooch.  I clicked away.  10 minutes later, I found myself back at the listing.  I tried to think who I could buy it for but it was my style more than anyone's.  The price was just £10.  I clicked away.  I found myself back there again and this time, I clicked "buy".  What made me hesitate?  It wasn't the price, it's was excellent value.  It wasn't the quality, the brooch showed serious skill and workmanship.  So what?

The fact it was for me.  Not for a practical purpose, not for a specific occasion   Just a little treat for me.  That was my stumbling block.  I see handmade as luxury and why should I buy myself luxuries?  I pondered on this the day I received the brooch.  It was even more stunning close up and so well made.  I love it and it brings me pleasure to look at it, so why the hesitation?

I wouldn't hesitate to spend £10 on a luxury gift for a friend.  I treat myself to Costa coffee and cake which isn't cheap.  I'd buy myself perfume because I "need" it.  So why did I have to convince myself to buy this brooch?

I decided to write about this today as I want to show you the brooch in question, but I also would like some feedback.  Do you buy yourself little treats, little luxuries?  If so, are they handmade?  Would you have hesitated to buy yourself a £10 handmade treat that you loved?  

I suspect that some people will think the same way as me, and if you're one of those people then I urge you to go over to Etsy/Folksy/NOTHS, any handmade shop, and treat yourself.  I work full time and I work hard, I may be hard up at the minute (rebuilding a falling down house will not be cheap!) but I can afford a tenner on something special now and then.  I'm going to do it once a month.  Each payday I'm going to bag myself a handmade item that I fall in love with.  Not for any practical reason, just because.  Join me?

Oh, and the brooch in question:

It's by Pat's Paraphernalia, you can find her shop here and here.

I would love to know what you think about this subject, and I'd love to know if you bought anything handmade after reading this!

M is for

A busy bank holiday weekend called for a relaxing craft in front of the TV of an evening.  Enter decopatch...

I'd bought these MDF letters at the craft fair along with a load of decopatch papers.  I also bought a desk tidy and my plan was to do a rainbow sweeping across the letters and the tidy.  

So I got out my papers and sorted them into colours.  Blue, purple, red, white, black, gold...  hmmm, no yellow?  No green?  No pink?  OK, so a rainbow is out then!

I covered the fronts and sides of all the letters, including that tiny gap in the "A" (these letters stand 3.5" tall), and getting into some of those spaces was tricky.   Rude words were said.

It may be considered as a kiddy craft, but I like some kiddy crafts and I like decopatch.

My skinflint side insisted I spell out the 4-letter MAKE rather than the 6-letter CREATE!  Currently, they're residing on a shelf in my craft room (which seriously needs a sort out and tidy up!).  As I was framing the photo, I was pleased to see other handmade items in this little space, my inspiration wall!

Oh, do you like what I did with my bobbins?  That's a piece of L-shaped plastic extrusion from B&Q, taped onto the edge of the shelf so the bobbins can lie in front of the the spools.  If you do this, use A LOT of tape.  The first time I didn't and came up to my craft room to find bobbins everywhere, I'm still finding them now!